Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: 1 Peter 5:5

I have noticed that the young do not listen to wisdom anymore.

Poverty and shame [shall be to] him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. Proverbs 13:18

Did they ever?

What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun. Ecc 1:4-11

They do not regard those as older and wiser as older and wiser.

Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:1

They regard them as foolish fools.

Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand…Psalm 92:6

Age and experience brings wisdom.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

No one holds age sacred anymore.

They will consider nothing sacred anymore. 2 Timothy 3:2

The paradox in having a teachable heart is that you have to learn how to have a teachable heart. I now learn from those older, wiser, and schooled in the truth of Jesus Christ. The following is one of those examples.

I was reading my advent devotions…yes, I got a little behind on the reading…and came across this superlative gem of wisdom by G.K. Chesterton. I thought it so good that I felt compelled to share it on my blog:

THE PARADOX OF CHARITY

Charity is a paradox, like modesty and courage. Stated baldly, charity certainly means one of two things — pardoning unpardonable acts, or loving unlovable people. But if we ask ourselves (as we did in the case of pride) what a sensible pagan would feel about such a subject, we shall probably be beginning at the bottom of it. A sensible pagan would say that there were some people one could forgive, and some one couldn’t: a slave who stole wine could be laughed at; a slave who betrayed his benefactor could be killed, and cursed even after he was killed. In so far as the act was pardonable, the man was pardonable. That again is rational, and even refreshing; but it is a dilution. It leaves no place for a pure horror of injustice, such as that which is a great beauty in the innocent. And it leaves no place for a mere tenderness for men as men, such as is the whole fascination of the charitable. Christianity came in here as before. It came in startlingly with a sword, and clove one thing from another. It divided the crime from the criminal. The criminal we must forgive unto seventy times seven. The crime we must not forgive at all. It was not enough that slaves who stole wine inspired partly anger and partly kindness. We must be much more angry with theft than before, and yet much kinder to thieves than before. There was room for wrath and love to run wild. And the more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times? “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! Matthew 1821-11

Now there’s some wisdom!

I’ve known some old people who never learn, either. Never stop learning. Even unto old age…

And here is some more wisdom in the prayer that followed:

Lord of Outrageous Grace, you showed Peter and you show us the stinginess of our forgiveness, Peter hoped for a lower number, six or perhaps five times to forgive his neighbor. We often settle for once, or not at all. How can we be as forgiving as you command! How can we, except by your grace, have the strength to offer ourselves again and again to those who offend us? Pour out your Spirit on us, Lord Christ, and grant that we may one day stop counting altogether.

Help us to remember that the things of God often appear foolish. Grey hair is a crown of glory and should be revered, respected, and held sacred!

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

About lifevine

Hi! My name is Amy. I am a former atheist and, for a season, practiced witchcraft. God drew me out of darkness 17 years ago and gave me the spiritual gifts of knowing and faith. He gives me daily encouragement and affirmation and I hope to share Him with you. If you have not yet met the one true God, His name is Jesus Christ, and may I be the first to introduce you to Him? He is the Restorative Savior God promised Adam and Eve 6,000 years ago (Genesis 3:15) after they had sinned in the garden, bringing separation from God because of disobedience. It is rightly reported that a little over 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem He was born of a virgin, lived a blameless perfect life in and around Jerusalem, died on a cross on Golgotha for the world's sin, and 3 days later rose again. YES! ROSE AGAIN! AMAZING! Please get baptized in His name, and walk in an eternal restored fellowship with Christ. You can get to know Him by reading, marking, and inwardly digesting His Word.... His Holy Bible.